The Blue Devils have looked forward to tonight’s game all season.
Seniors Joy Cheek, Keturah Jackson and Bridgette Mitchell will play their final ACC home game in Cameroon Indoor Stadium as the trio leads their team this weekend to finish conference play.
And head coach Joanne P. McCallie will have the opportunity to accomplish a goal she has strived to attain since arriving in Durham: winning an ACC regular season championship.
Tonight at 8:30 p.m., Duke hosts No. 21 Virginia (20-7, 8-4 in the ACC) in Cameron on its senior night, and the Blue Devils will honor their seniors shortly before the game. By earning its 17th straight victory against the Cavaliers, Duke (23-4, 11-1) will be able to pay tribute to its seniors and earn its first ACC championship since McCallie took over at the helm for the Blue Devils three seasons ago.
And though McCallie’s squad tries to focus exclusively on its opponent, the team recognizes the implications of tonight’s matchup.
“You set your goals at the beginning of the season, and our first goal was ACC regular season champs,” junior Jasmine Thomas said. “[Against Virginia] we just have to focus on what we have to do to get it done. We haven’t been board dominant in a while and that’s something that we are going to need to do going into this game. It would be nice to get it done for our seniors, especially with it being senior night.”
The seniors have made large contributions on and off the court this season, especially of late. All three started in the team’s most recent victory against Maryland Feb. 21, and Cheek led the way with 17 points, five rebounds and four assists. Cheek has averaged 9.9 points per game this season, and Mitchell has chipped in 8.7 points per contest. The pair lead the team in 3-point shooting, managing 39.4 and 35.5 percent shooting from behind the arc, respectively.
Jackson, meanwhile, has been exceptional on the defensive end this season, totaling 65 steals, the team’s second-highest output. She has often guarded the opposing team’s top offensive players due to her tenacity on the defensive side of the ball.
And although the trio has made its presence felt on the hardwood, its experience and leadership has proved invaluable to team chemistry and attitude.
“Juniors and seniors together have formed a bond of understanding of what it takes to compete at this level, and I think their leadership is very important,” McCallie said. “I think I see more of our team demanding more from each other.”
The senior class has remained a vocal force in practice all season. The team leaders have not been afraid to call out younger players when they deem it appropriate, either.
“In practice, sometimes you can come in and it can be a little lackadaisical, and [the seniors] are always the ones who come in and get on people and get everyone fired up,” Thomas said. “It definitely translates to games. I know there have been a few times where our defense has slipped and KJ will come in and just rip somebody and that’s something they have done a good job at.”
After tonight’s game, the Blue Devils will travel to Chapel Hill Sunday to take on North Carolina (17-9, 5-7) at 3 p.m. For Duke to be successful this weekend, the seniors need to set the tone—especially around the basket.
“What would mean the most to me is to get two games this weekend,” McCallie said. “For me as a coach and us as a team, the best thing that can happen to us is having a dominant rebounding game Friday night and then do it again on Sunday. [If that happens], Monday you would find me happy as a clam.”
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